Drug Abuse

Table of contents Introduction and purpose of research Literature review Data collection sources Presentation, discussion and analysis of data Conclusion, limitations and recommendations Bibliography Appendices Introduction and purpose of research Drug abuse is a very prevalent and widespread problem in Trinidad and Tobago. It is the cause of many illegal activities in the country. This study is geared towards finding the causes and effects of drug abuse in teenagers in Rio Claro. The purpose of this study is to determine the causes and effects of drug abuse in Rio Claro.In this project the following research questions would be asked: 1. What is drug abuse? 2. What are the causes and effects of drug abuse? 3. What are the strategies that could be implemented to curb drug abuse? This topic was chosen because the prevalence of drug abuse in my community is very high and it is of my special interest because I would like to explore and understand the topic more. I am currently studying s ciences at school and it is my hope that studying this topic would further educate me about drug abuse as I would like to peruse a career in pharmacy.After this study is completed it is my hope that the research can be used to benefit the members of my community and other researchers to help prevent drug abuse. Some of the terms used in this research project are: 1. Drug abuse- substance abuse   use of a substance that modifies mood or behavior in a manner characterized by a maladaptive pattern of use. 2. 3. Literature review Drug abuse is th Data collection sources Primary data was obtained from the questionnaire. The process of distributing this questionnaire was done by simple random sampling. 00 % of the questionnaires were given to people that were teenagers on Saturday 10th December 2012 at the Rio Claro community centre. The questionnaire was an excellent means of obtaining data as the data collected was first hand and there was no third party handling the data so there was less room for tampering. The disadvantages of using this were that people may be dishonest and some may not return questionnaire. Thirty people were asked to answer a questionnaire that consisted of 17 questions and thirty questionnaires were obtained at the end of the research. All the data was quantative.Secondary data was obtained via the internet, newspaper and books. The information obtained from the internet was used to obtain background information about the topic and to further answer the research question. Books were used to get proper definitions and to get the biological perspective of drug abuse. The data was helpful at it helped me to better understand the topic of drug abuse. Both sources contributed to a better understanding of the topic as knowledge was gained about the problem from both sources. Presentation, interpretation and discussion of findings 1. Do you go to church/mosque/temple? Often O Sometimes O Not at all OGraph 2 showing types of families that the can didates lived in The graph above shows the types of families that the candidates live in. more than half the candidates lived in single parent families, Graph 3 showing weather candidates go to church/mosque/temple Conclusion, limitations and recommendations Appendix 1 Questionnaire A pleasant good day. My name is Shenell Lal and I go to cowen Hamilton secondary school. For my Caribbean studies internal assessment I am studying drug abuse and its causes and effects in my community of Rio Claro. Your participation in answering the following questionnaire is greatly appreciated.The information collected is strictly confidential. Thank you in advance. Please tick the appropriate boxes and answer in the spaces provided. 1. How old are you? 10- 15 O 16-23 O 2. Gender: Male O female O 3. Religion : Hindu O other O Muslim O Christian O 4. What type of family do you live in? Single parent O Nuclear O Extended O Other O 5. Do you go to church/mosque/temple? Often O Sometimes O Not at all O 6 . To what ethnic group do you belong? African descent OIndian descent O Chinese descent O Mixed descent O 7. Do you participate in community activities? Yes O no O If yes please state what 8. Do you play sports/ musical instruments? Yes O no O If yes please state what 9. Do you think that the lack of an education can be one of the major causes of drug abuse? Yes O No O 10. Do you think that the schools, youth groups, clubs†¦.. tc, is making a positive impact in trying to stop the levels of drug abuse? SCHOOLS – Yes: very much O Little O No, none at all O Yes: much O Very little O YOUTH GROUPS – Yes: very much O Little O No, none at all O Yes: much O Very little O CLUBS – Yes: very much O Little O No, none at all O Yes: much O Very little O 11. What do you think are the level of which drugs are used in your village?Low O Medium O High O None at all O 12. How effective are the police in dealing with drugs in your village? Very much O Much O Little O Very lit tle O 13. What age group uses drugs the most in your village? 14 – 25 O 26 – 35 O 36 – 45 O 46+ O 14. Which one of the following would you say can be the main cause of drug abuse in your village? Peer Pressure from friends O Poverty O Parents not setting good examples O Lack of a proper education O 15.In your village please state in a percentage how many of the youths you think are affected by drugs compared to those who are not? 5 – 24% O 25 – 50% O 51 – 75% O 75 – 100% O 16. How does drug abuse affect the youths of your district in terms of causing fights and gang warfare? Yes: Badly O Very bad O No: Not really O Not at all O 17. Have you ever used drugs? Yes O No O BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/drug+abuse 2.

Interpreted language Essay

Interpreted language can be vague, based upon cultural differences. However, language can be compiled or written which strictly distinguishes how language is spoken around the world. Language, in fact, is the foundation of every culture. Language is an abstract system of word meanings and symbols for all aspects of culture. It includes: * Speech * Written characters * Numerals * Symbols * Gestures * Expression of nonverbal communication Clearly, languages reflect the priorities of a culture. Unlike some other elements of cultures, language permeates all parts of society. Nations vary dramatically in their tolerance for a variety of languages. By contrast, language structures our thinking and opinions. One step to creating better international understanding is to be conscientious about using language that accurately conveys what we mean. Language knows no political boundaries. Every place in the world has its own unique kind of people. Each member of a sub-cultural deserves respect, since they have their own mix of physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual assets to contribute. Geographically, language is correct in their area. However, in each of these locations, individuals have problems with accents, dialect, and speech rate such as stuttering. Language barrier tend to cause decline in productivity and frustration amongst the company, employees, and customers. Language (Cultural) difference cause barriers in the workplace and it can have a negative effect on the environment at the workplace. Due to growth in diversities in business, companies have to employ different cultures. Companies that fail to accommodate individuals are subject to discrimination lawsuits. Though companies set up different programs in order to combat this problem, cultural diversity continues to grow and issues continue. As organizations introduce diversity, the culture of the workplace will change. People make judgments based on what they already know of their own values and beliefs. When the unknown element is interjected, it causes confusion, fear, and chaos. This forces people to question themselves and defend their beliefs. When organizations increase diversity in the work environment, clashes occur amongst different cultures. Diversity brings in different perspectives, different approaches to problem solving, different visions, different languages, and different expectations. â€Å"Communications, in face-to-face exchanges as well as through company newsletters and training sessions, should be welcoming and should accentuate the positive effects of employing workers with varying talents and accomplishments† (Developing Diversity Initiatives, 1993). Organizations change as they become more diverse. Many changes will cause anger, frustration, and confusion. The introduction of cultural diversity, which includes different languages, causes organizations to go through five stages: * Anger – Workers will resist change and expect others to fit their norms and speak their language. * Passive Regression – People will become withdrawn. There will be little to no sharing of information, which is very important to be successful. * Chaos – Groups form and struggle to regain power. This when discrimination accusations begin to surface. * Reclamation- this where the bridge builders arrive. They bridge the gaps between the groups. Bridge builders can belong to any group, respect other positions, and have pride in their own cultural identities. It is the bridge builders who can act as a link between the groups * Celebration – This is the celebration of a new diverse culture. It is understood by everyone, that language and cultural diversity benefits everyone. The people are not â€Å"uptight† but comfortable and understanding of each other’s culture. This is the longest and most difficult stage for the groups to complete. There are steps that companies can take to prevent civil unrest within an organization. The following steps can be used to prevent confrontation and assist in creating a positive and productive environment: * Purpose – Develop a strong sense of purpose for the employees that transcend all differences including language. A common purpose will keep the working together for the common goal. By developing purpose, the organization is relaying the message that all the different groups and cultures are on the same team and are all one company. * Tell Stories – Stories help connect the groups. Through stories, different groups can relate to each other as people. Stories also give the groups a chance to voice its opinions and concerns. * Self Awareness – Companies should develop self awareness * Within the organization commonly, people are afraid of the unknown. By developing self-awareness, the organization forces the groups to face the unknown and to overcome their fears and insecurities. * Training Programs – Companies should implement training programs to teach the different groups to be culturally aware of one another. The programs should also include language courses to teach communication skills. â€Å"Organizations are adapting a number of approaches to overcome language barriers among employees† (Journal of Business, 2000). English is the universal language of business, and it is only one of several languages spoken in the United States. It is very important for organizations to create an environment where everyone, despite language spoken, is considered equal. Companies are offering training courses and providing translators to make everyone feel comfortable. As the population becomes more diverse and the traditional societies are becomes more mobile, companies are faced with cultural and language issues. It is up to the organization to make sure it is taking all the necessary steps to ensure that groups and cultures effectively work together and is productive. â€Å"Language does more than simply describe reality; it also serves to shape the reality of a culture†(Colorado Business Communication, 1991). Like other forms of language, nonverbal communication is not the same in all cultures. It can take many forms such as facial expressions and visual images to learn nonverbal communication from people who share our same culture. For instance, people with hearing loss communicate using sign language that is another way of communicating. Your signing hand is the hand you write and color with and your other hand is the helping hand. This technique found @ www.signlanguage.org is informative for nonverbal communication. Gesture, body posture, direction of attention, eye contact, level of conversation, and other behaviors are interpreted as signs of inclusion and exclusion. However, there are many layers of communicating further. Verbal language and body language signifies whether the line of interaction is conveyed and not a form of evasiveness. With the perception that English is the universal language, it is not always perceived by all nations or society as a whole. Those of us who do use English do so in spite of our ambiguity towards it, or perhaps because we can find in that linguistic struggle a reflection of other struggles taking place in the real world, struggle between the cultures within ourselves and the influences at work upon our societies. To conquer English may be to complete the process of making ourselves free. As relations grow in the workplace, the social interaction is not the same. For example, when Spanish-speaking employees interact with English-speaking employees some issues that formulate are: which language to speak or when to use an interpreter. In a social setting it is even harder when greeting and addressing people correctly. Thou not to provide a definitive answer to language as related to pronunciation, it is difficult to understand individuals whom speak English but with an accent. Often, individuals are asked repeatedly what is being said in order to convey what was said. Bahri (Language, 2003) states † Language as communication and as culture are then products of each other†¦ Language carries culture, and culture carries, particularly through orature and literature, the entire body of values by which we perceive ourselves and our place in the world†¦Language is thus inseparable from ourselves as community of human beings with a specific form and character, a specific history, a specific relationship to the work.† Language is a critical element of culture. Members of society generally share a common language, which facilitates day-to-day exchanges with others. There are many ways of communicating language in the workforce and, it is not the only way to show a line of interaction to work together but a way of social interaction. The work force is just one avenue to rectify the critical success for today’s employer when diversity by today’s standards is met. References Bahira, Depika (2003). Language. Retrieved April 28, 2004 from website: www.emory.edu/English Colorado Business Magazine, May 1991 v18 pg.37 (3) Duncan, Robert A. (1993). Developing Diversity Initiatives: Definition and Process. Retrieved April 28, 2004 from website: www.ed.gov/databases. Journal of Business Communication v33 pg. 48 Management Review, Dec 1998, pg. 42

African American Politicians

During the reconstruction era over two thousand African Americans served in federal, state, and local offices. Information on these individuals is difficult to find, seeing as during this time black lawmakers were condemned as subhuman, and in no need of documentation. Eric Foner, author of Black Politicians in the Reconstruction Era, stated that of the two thousand he only found about 1465 for his book. A great deal of the information on these men and the offices they held was obscure and incorrect. Many scholars had false information about the education level of these African American lawmakers. For example, many scholars claimed that most black delegates to the Georgia convention were illiterate, actually twenty-two of these thirty-seven could read and write. This was impressive seeing as it was against the law in many states for African Americans to be taught how to read or write. The basic research on these politicians was not done because these scholars thought they knew all they needed to know. These lawmakers were black; many were ex-slaves, so they must have been ignorant, corrupt, and incompetent, this was the stereotype, but it was not so! Many of the African American leaders saw fit to educate themselves. Men like John Roy Lynch, who took time off from his photographer†s studio to observe a white classroom from across an alley. He continued this until he had mastered all of the classes taught there. Situations like this show the desire and determination these men had to learn. He used this training to become speaker of the Mississippi house and later a member of congress. These are only two of the many examples of African Americans who self educated themselves in a time when African Americans were banned from education. Others did have a formal education. In South Carolina, State Treasurer Francis L. Cardozo attended Glasgow and London. He was a minister in New Haven and a principal for the School for Blacks in Charleston. These were better credentials than some white politicians had. Economically black politicians were in no way reaping the monetary rewards that Conservatives and white carpetbaggers enjoyed. While African Americans status impressive compared to other freedmen, most could not translate political power into a share of the economic growth of their states. Even prominent leaders such as Hiram Revels, who was the first the first black man to serve in the United States Senate sometimes found it necessary to take small loans from white politicians to meet every day expense. The reconstruction era was a difficult time for African American politicians. In a time when negative stereotypes where all too common, and the color of your skin determined your level of intelligence in the eyes of many. Black leaders had to work twice as hard to accomplish half as much. An extremely relevant point, and a credit to the African American politicians was the fact that there was a very small amount of vindictiveness in their actions and words. They had no dreams or desires to take advantage, or become greedy with the power they were beginning to acquire. They seemed more fixated on receiving what they thought they were entitled to. Beverly Nash, a member of the South Carolina convention, asserted in his first speech, â€Å"the white man is a true friend of the black man. He went on to say, â€Å"I you could see the scroll of the society that banner represents, you would see the white man and the black man standing with their arms locked together, as the type of friendship we desire. † Even when some leaders such as Henry McNeal Turner, who was almost universally disliked by whites, still did what he could to assist in helping the white economy recover its economic strength. Even after all that was done to them, the black leaders held no resentment, and worked for the benefites of blacks and whites as a whole. In conclusion, there are many misconceptions about African American leaders during the era of reconstruction. From their level of education, to the positions they held, and the lifestyles they lead. Black leaders were equally, if not more qualified than their white counter parts for political positions. Unfortunately they were not being compensated in the same manner as the white politicians.

God's Existence and Essence Philosophical Theory Essay

God's Existence and Essence Philosophical Theory - Essay Example It was during this time that Aristotle’s teachings were common. He used these teachings in his own theological work although Aristotle’s teachings were really at the neck of the Christians during his reign. The intent of this paper is to discuss issues that reveal through Thomas Aquinas’ way of thinking on the existence of God. Ideas According to Thomas Aquinas came up with five ways that prove the existence of God. Then, in his first away he observed that some of the things found on earth are in constant motion. It is from his point of view that anything that is moving is likely to get started by another item, which was also in motion (Aquinas, 2006). The other item in motion was also exposed to motion by another moving item then the process continues in the same manner. The series of moving objects cannot go back to infinity to indentifying the first mover. It is true that there was a first mover of the objects that are in motion though the mover is unknown. Th is gives an impression that there is a mover who does not move. In this context, the unmoved mover is God. In the second way, he states that everything has a cause and nothing can cause be a cause of itself. In this context, the causes go back to infinity since all causes depend on the past cause and the eventual cause depended on the previous cause leading to an infinitive cause. This means that the first cause is unidentified (Aquinas, 2006). The absentee of the first cause cannot end with our scrutiny. Therefore, there must be a first cause of all these events, in which all people refer to as God. The third way to identify that there are things in nature that we observe to be possible and others are impossible as they come to exist and pass away from existence. In this context, nothing that could not exist at one point can exist. It requires that, first something exists before it can find itself existing at another moment (Aquinas, 2006). Form this statement, if there was nothing that existed in the first place, then there could be nothing existing at this time in the world. Since an effect has its cause and the subsequent cause goes to infinitive without indentifying the cause it is possible that something existed first to cause the other to exist. The unidentified cause of events in this context is the Almighty God. It is true that God existed first then caused other things on earth to exist. The fourth states that the world has characteristics that vary in degree. Some of the characteristics are more or less true, good, noble and many more examples. The grading of these characteristics is done in relation to maximum. This indicates that there should be something truest, noblest and best. According to Aristotle, there are some things, which are supreme in truth. In his view, something causes supreme truth in these characteristics and any perfection that we get in every beings of the world. He refers to this supreme cause as God. Aquinas observes nonintell igent and inanimate objects in nature that act in the direction of achieving the best probable purpose although the objects themselves would lack awareness of doing so (Aquinas, 2006). It is possible that the objects achieve their purpose though an organized a plan. The objects that are nonitelignt

Gendered Spaces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gendered Spaces - Essay Example It is believed many of the ills of contemporary home environment can be traced to these historic developments which should be easily rectifiable by incorporating "feminine" aspects of space design (Roberts, 1991). The case for a feminine urban theory can be built on an obvious assumption that women were historically "oppressed" by a system of patriarchy which denied them an active voice in matters dealing with not only urban planning but also other aspects of life such as politics, civic participation, games and sports, trade etc. (McDowell, 1984, Francke, 1985). Rendell, Penner & Borden (2000) criticise this theory for its ignoring of the histories surrounding matriarchal civilisations such as Ancient Egypt and Samoa. The authors suggest that the theory of "oppression" is at best, an oversimplification of any historical legacy conferred by gendered spaces. In order to study this problem in detail, one must place higher focus on technical aspects of gender spaces phenomenon (Rendell, Penner & Borden, 2000). This would be made clear by unique gender displays which affect spatial dynamics in an actual interaction. 1. Relative size: Men occupy more space than women in terms of body size and posture (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985). This automatically translates into a male obsession for large size for example, preferences as in phallus-shaped skyscrapers or large limousines. 2. Psychological withdrawal from the social context: Men are fiercely territorial and prepare for potential threats to their control of the situation whereas women are more inclusive about differing arrangements (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985). 3. Ritualised subordination: Women show signs of being controlled by others and have more appeasing behaviour such as smiling which leads to a curvi-linear pattern in design which can be seen in traditional kitchens (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985; Spain, 1992). Men, in contrast, are more dominant and unyielding which can be seen in their preference for bold lines manifesting in rectilinear patterns (90) (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985; Spain, 1992). 4. Functional Ranking: Men like to control the actions of others whereas women are more concerned with being at a gentle ease about themselves (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985). 5. Locations: Women are generally found in domestic locations such as kitchens and nursery whereas men are found in lot more diverse locations (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985). 6. Touch/Manipulation: It has been repeatedly observed that when it comes to touching and manipulating objects, men choose to manoeuvre them whereas women tend to gently caress/examine them (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985). 7. Movement: Men usually make movements which are both faster and farther from the central object (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985). Women, in contrast, are set at a more leisurely pace which is seen in the way they manipulate things (Umiker-Sebeok, 1985). In an Australian context, according to an experiment conducted on the US print and

Mental Illness Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mental Illness - Case Study Example AD differs from other autism spectrum disorders because there is absence of speech or language delays and symptoms are less severe in asperger syndrome unlike other autism spectrum disorders, which have language delays and severe symptoms. AD is one of the mental illnesses commonly experienced among varied children during their childhood development process; thus, many children develop cognitive difficulties, language skill problems and lack effective nonverbal communication skills. The exact cause of AD is unknown but many researchers have attempted to base their arguments on the genetic basis as the major cause of asperger syndrome. Although there is no clear treatment for AD, cognitive behavioral therapy, social skills therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy and other intervention measures are among the effective therapies for improving symptoms and function of the patient. Mental Health History The client is a six years old child who grew up well and did not have any linguistic or speech problems but started experiencing some minor problems earlier at the age of five years. The child started having trouble in some basic elements of social skills including failure to make friendships with other children, lack of emotional reciprocity and impaired nonverbal behaviors. When the child was admitted in school, the teacher realized that the child displayed some repetitive behaviors, which were sometimes abnormal. Parents of the child also had already noticed earlier some displayed behaviors, activities and interests of the child which were repetitive but they could not take them seriously. Some of the behaviors of the child became apparent after the age of 5-6 years and this was the period their parents started seeking medical attention. For example, the child could memorize camera model figures but could care little about photography. Although these behaviors kept changing from time to time, they typically became narrowly focused and even dominated social inter action in the extent that the family members of the child became worried and stressed. According to Matson, Matson and Rivet (2007), repetitive motor behaviors are among the major symptoms for asperger syndrome but these behaviors tend to change from time to time. In addition, the client developed problems in understanding figurative language and ended up using language literary something that forced the teacher of the child to employ effective teaching intervention strategies and prepare Individualized Education programs in order to meet the demanding learning needs of the client. Although the child had excellent auditory and visual perception, some differences in perception with motor, emotion and sensory perception became apparent. The client was diagnosed and the diagnostic criteria required the treatment of the impairment social interaction, repetitive behaviors and many other problems. Rodriguez (2012) argues that employing effective diagnostic criteria and carrying out compre hensive assessment process in a multidisciplinary team approach is vital. Earlier intervention was carried out because AD does not have clear treatment but some therapies offered to the client included, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), social skill therapy, physical, speech therapy and other intervention programs were carried out. Assessment Process The first step of diagnosis is the assessment process, which includes observation and evaluating developmental history of the child. The medical professions or qualified social workers with experience should carry out assessment process in order to determine the causes and symptoms; thus offer effective

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Summary - Assignment Example Consent, for them, is not real consent. For other patients, having the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial was empowering. At the end of her study, Dr. Corrigan reflects that she will reconsider her own methods which are mainstream regarding informed consent. She believes her practice will improve because of this. Doctors clearly need to take into full account the ethical dimensions of their patients choices and consent. I found this to be a very interesting article. It was topical. I was especially interested in what Dr. Corrigan wrote in relation to pharmaceutical trials and companies. These days there is a lot of controversy over the political, medical, and cultural influence of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical companies. Because this is now a big business, people are concerned that certain ethical standards may be being replaced by a nasty business sense. There have been some accusations of influence on doctors and other health professionals through drug representatives and salespeople, including the giving of gifts to doctors, paying for and sponsoring conferences, for example. Doctors are often hired and paid to sit on the boards of various pharmaceutical companies thus providing an appearance of medical credibility to a company or product that may not independently possess it. The pharmaceutical industry also has thousands of lobbyists in Washington, D.C., that lobby Congress and try protec t their own interests and weaken laws that might limit their profit or make it more expensive and difficult to sale drugs. We need doctors to stand up and be ethical and to inform their patients about their involvement. Dr. Corrigan writes that when doctors request that patients participate in studies of a research nature, patients can feel manipulated or betrayed (781). This is a very negative consequence with ethical implications that must be considered from both the point of view of the patient and of the

Only for Expert in Public Administration (Texas), (comprehinsive exam) Assignment - 1

Only for Expert in Public Administration (Texas), (comprehinsive exam) II part - Assignment Example The local governments on both secured and unsecured property on the other hand levy property taxes. Other taxes for local governments come from franchise fees, business license tax, parimutual taxes and many others. The third main source is from licenses, permits, fees, and receipts. These rates are charged from all manner of contractors within the locality (Aronson & Schwartz, 2007). Local governments also source their finances from both external and internal loans to finance projects. The external loans are sourced from banks or financial institutions while the internal loans are sourced from their own internal savings such as the capital development funds or the Consolidated Loan Fund that form part of the internal loans for a local government. While the internal loans are quite cheap hence can be afforded to finance the budgets, the external loans are expensive since they attract high interest rates hence not a wise way of financing a capital budget. The local governments also get fund from the contributions from revenues which results as a result of purchasing a capital item, it pays from the operating income from the year of purchase and it is used to pay for small capital items in most localities given that it does not attract any interest payments (Aronson & Schwartz, 2007). National governments may also extend grants to local governments on application w hich if combined with donor funds form a substantial source of revenue to help in incurring developmental and capital expenditure. The sources of funding a local government can therefore be categorized into two major categories namely, government transfers and the revenue instruments that the government controls hence its empowered to raise its own revenue as discussed above. As indicated above some municipal services are paid for by the individuals or the public who use them. The charges by the municipalities on the services are called† tariffs† and the tariffs should be affordable both

Rape Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Rape Culture - Essay Example This paper will look into the case of rape culture and try to find out how women have been denied justice against rapists in the society. It will try to show how rapists have been defended by the media and justice institutions. The descriptions of rape culture and the injustices against women in the society will be based on a movie called ‘The Accused’ which was released in the year 1988. Rape culture will always blame the victims of rape. The media and justice institutions will look at rape in a way that blames the victim to suggest that the victims were the cause of the happening of this act. In the movie, Sarah Tobias, the victim of a gang rape by three men, is accused by the defendant of being drunk during the night of the rape. He says that she was provocatively dressed and seduced one of the rapists. Her history of flirting with men is brought to this case to accuse her blame her behavior. It is with these accusations of Sarah’s clothing and her past history of flirting with men that the defendant uses to blame Sarah Tobias who is the central character in the movie. This shows how rape culture always tries to find as little as it can, small loop holes to blame the victim. The talks of how Sarah was raped in a crowded bar by three men. The three men raped her in turns and repeatedly on a pinball machine. As one was holding her pinning her down, the other continuously raped her. All this time a crowd of men were in the bar did not stop the three men from raping Sarah. Instead they went on to cheer these men to rape Sarah. She is taken to the hospital and meets her attorney who is the prosecutor of the case. The movie has its main setting in a court room. Although Sarah is continuously raped, even her attorney reluctantly defends her because of her history and how she was provocatively dressed. Rape culture always has a way to make the victims

Humen computing interaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humen computing interaction - Essay Example Once the user fill out the required fields and press the confirm button, their order will be confirmed directly. We want to become the best beauty lounge in the UAE through delivering the superb quality of work, exceptional customer service and the highest hygiene standards. This system will make it easier for the user to order different beauty products and other services online Moreover, using this system the users will not spend long time waiting to purchase products or try other services that increases frustrating rate and decrease the level of satisfaction. . The goals of Human computer interaction are very essential to take into account in order to keep our applications easy to use by the visitors. First of all, we can reach the effectiveness through assisting the user to achieve the task successfully such as â€Å"purchasing†. We can reach the efficiency through assisting the user to accomplish their tasks quickly. Moreover, we can’t deny the importance of the first impression from the interface since it has big effects to keep the user on the page . Usability and appeal are considered to be from the factors that provides long term satisfaction of the user Customer feedback page will allow to understand how customers are rating and using products versus competitive products. Through collecting customers recommendations, comments and rating we can study their needs in order to provide them the best products and services. Moreover, Customers’ feedback is very essential for a service provider to determine how we are important to them! In order to proceed with our project, we had to check out several websites and applications. This will help us in designing the interface of the application as well as figure out what we should add to the content of application. In addition, we had to get some real statistics to improve our application interface and the usage of this specific theme. The questionnaire was

Correlation and Association Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Correlation and Association - Research Paper Example On the other hand, the correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of a relationship by utilizing the geometric relationship of the dependent variable Y with the independent variable X. It is defined as â€Å"the measure of association between two interval variables† (Willnat, Manheim and Rich, 2011), also known as the Pearson product-moment correlation. This coefficient predicts the values of Y according to that of the corresponding values of X. Because of its higher accuracy and efficiency in predicting values of association between variables, the correlation coefficient is still reliable even when the samples to be used in the test vary in size. Since the coefficient of association relies mainly on a specific sample size on guessing the measure of association instead of the whole population, the test for statistical significance is stronger using the correlation coefficient. The latter can accurately predict the association between variables based on any subgroups of a population, hence making it a reliable tool in any given statistical data

Creating a united ummah between 622 and 632 Essay Example for Free

Creating a united ummah between 622 and 632 Essay Explain and comment on the ways in which Muhammad set about creating a united ummah between 622 and 632 Key to explaining the creation of the united ummah is the admission by Islam of the wars that were necessary in achieving their aim. The Muslim belief about 622 is that Muhammad and the muhajirun who followed him from Mecca to Medina were mostly accepted by most residents of Medina. The foundation for this was that they had been asked there in the first place they were supposed to bring about a peaceful revolution in a city wrought with violence and feuds between seperate tribes of people. As such, Islam was going to be the heal on the wounds that were plighting Medina. The non-Muslim view however is that Jews and munafiqun had difficulties in accepting the ideals of Islam and ridiculed it. Muhammad was faced with a challenge in bringing the people round to his point of view, and by the end of 622, had only managed to persuade 1000. The first undisputed, all-out battle of the creation of the ummah was in 624. This was the Battle of Badr. While Muslims claim that the battle was fought out of loyalty to Allah alone, non-Muslims claim that it was based on a desire for revenge against the Meccans who had forced them to leave their original home. The evidence that Muslims claim to have supporting their argument is the very fact that Muhammad and his followers won the battle they had Allah on their side, as is described in Sura 7. Sura 7 is however believed by opponents to have been written at a different time to the Quran, so cannot be taken at face value. Non-believers claim that Muhammad was acting with intolerance, which overrided the supposed obligation from Allah that he had to act on. 625 saw the Battle of Uhud, which saw Abu Sufyan setting out in opposition to Muhammad. His 3000 men would logically make light work of the 700 that Muhammad could call upon Muslim belief follows that Allah was testing the faith of his followers in allowing one side to be so much bigger than the other. Non-Muslim belief obviously ranges, but some have argued that God could not have solely been on Muhammads side, given that the prophet emerged from the battle with war wounds, and that some Meccans disobeyed orders, so there were other forces acting on the battle than those of Allah. Abu Sufyan set out to kill Muhammad again in 627, with the Battle of the Ditches. In this battle, Muhammad and his army were met with the force of 10,000 men. Stalemate arose when Muhammad dug trenches, and a storm saw off the Meccans, who had started disputes between themselves anyway. Non-Muslim suspicion of this story is largely insubstantial, although the morality of murdering 600-900 Jews later on in the year has been brought into question. This, and the sale of women and children into slavery by Muhammads followers has been backed up with the teaching from the Quran reading God does not love the treacherous, the belief by many Muslims that it was the only way they had of creating the religious theocracy that they wanted, and the belief that they had every right to return the violence that they claim had been initiated on them by the Jews and Meccans. Muhammad set out to improve the relations between the Medinans and the Meccans in 628, when the two cities agreed to sign the Treaty of Hudabiya outside Meccan city boundaries. Muslims consider this treaty to authenticate Muhammads status as a reluctant warrior because it was supposed to secure peace and the right for any Meccans to become Muslims if they wanted to. Islams status as being more than a religion is also authenticated by the treaty, which Muslims believe portrayed Muhammad as being a capable politician he also allowed Jews to enjoy religious freedom, in return for an extra tax. The Islamic belief that the Muhammad communicated with emperors of Byzantium and Abyssinia is toned down by non-Muslim theory, which suggests that he spoke to Arabian peninsula leaders at the most. Some Meccans were voluntarily converted to Islam when the faith reached Mecca on a small pilgramage in 629, but the main influx of population to the faith came in 630 when Muhammad took the ciy by force. In the following year, he sent out armies supporting his leaders when they spread the word of Islam the role that these forces played in converting people to Islam is disputed by Non-Muslims. There is much evidence to support the view that Muhammads motives were political and personal, rather than religious. Firstly, it would not have been reasonable for Muhammads motives to have been solely religious. He would not have been able to have been as successful as he was if they had been this is because Islam is, in the eyes of believers and non-believers alike, more than just a religion. The Islamic beliefs take precedence over politics, and the individual desires of one person. This makes it almost socialistic in its principles, which in turn explain how Muhammad found it such a task to actually spread the faith. It is unlikely that Muhammads motives were personal, as in the event that they had been, it would have been unlikely he would have set himself aside for so much criticism or persecution in fighting the Meccans. He would have stayed in Mecca and made a living as a trader if this was what he wanted. He would however have had political motives. These would have been necessary in converting a brutal city into a religious theocracy, and would have to have been backed up with a resolution to act in possibly violent ways to carry them through. What Muhammad was doing was by no means easy he put his life on the line for Allah, who had already put him through visions to tell him what he had to do. Muhammad has been described by some people as being hungry for power, leading to his crusades, battles and treaties across Arabia. What it must be remembered is that he died in 632 as a reasonably old man he fought not for himself but for Allah.

The Culture Of Creativity And Innovation Commerce Essay

The Culture Of Creativity And Innovation Commerce Essay Creativity and innovation are two inherent qualities human possess that may not be embedded in each and every individual. An organization acquires staff and individual with various different attributes. However, creativity, for one, may not be amongst their major attribute. I believe that it is not easy for an organization to create a culture of creativity and innovation in an organization due to the diversity among members and the organizational identity but it is not impossible either. Depending on the existing organization culture with an evolving organizational identity and using proper language and discursive elements to bring cultural incrementalism, a culture of creativity and innovation in an organization is achievable. A culture of creativity and innovation in an organization can be created by providing staff of the organization proper understanding of the goals and objective and creating an environment to try new ideas and the right to freedom and get support. I believe that simply implementing theories to an organization wont make it creative or innovative. In order to create a culture of creativity and innovation in an organization, the organization needs to understand the behaviour of the people and needs to be open to new ideas and the changes these ideas generate. In this essay, I have tried to focus on implementing culture of creativity into organizations whilst evaluating existing organizational structure and culture. All the theories discussed and argued will be based upon creativity for an organization. The Weberian Thought and Taylorism along with models of organizational structures have been analyzed to understand how people are provided with authority and how they behave in an organization. HAS and IS approach has been compared alongside Darwins Theory of Evolution to put light into the theory of creativity. In order to implement a new concept of creativity and bring change, Kanter, Stein Jicks Big 3 Model of Change and Lewins Model for organizational change has been compared and contrasted. Organizational Culture is an outcome of cultural processes at work in a particular setting and focuses on people and the shared meaning within them. An organization with a strong culture may find it difficult to adapt with changes. If they want to bring a culture of creativity then the organization may find it hard to cope with it. A strong culture will have people with commonalities and may lack diversity which is essential in generating new and different ideas. However, subcultures can exist in such organization with strong culture which may bring creativity as a result of diversity. Such divisions are responsible for giving a different option or a direction to the organization which can result to new frontiers. Diversity is an integral element of an organizations culture. A manager has to be aware of the differences that exist among various employees working in the organization. People in an organization do not always come from the same background. A manager needs to be aware of the differences between the employees in order to create a friendly working environment. Organization, today, has come a long way from the classical approach of Max Weber (Bureaucracy and rationality) and F.W. Taylor (Division of Labour and Scientific Management). Humans are appendage of industrial machines. Humans can be programmed to perform according to loads, pace and fatigue-Max Weber. In order to establish a creative culture, people need to be given freedom to think and work. Webers theory will bring restrictions on the way people think and work by comparing human with machines. Similarly, Taylors Scientific Mangement theory suggests that certain knowledge, belief needs to be predetermined to create a culture. However, creativity cant be moulded by certain rules and regulations. In such a case, the result would not be original and hence, not creative. Darwins Theory of Evolution states that culture is a process of cultivation, i.e., the improvement of human condition which helps create a creative culture as it focuses on betterment of the human condition. Similarly , HAS and IS Approach provides further light towards organizational culture. HAS approach states that culture is constructed by basic assumptions where as IS approach starts from a clean slate where culture is not defined which can help the creativity flourish as there are no boundaries that needs to be met by the people. In recent times, a symbolic-interpretative approach or a postmodern approach is more popular where people and their behaviour are given importance and actions carried out based on them. A symbolic-interpretative approach would create meaning by associating with human through shared values, traditions and customs whereas the Postmodern approach is where managers are artist in themselves who are open to new ideas and based upon these knowledge and understanding come up with a new perspective with reference to the past. The diagram below shows different elements which collectively form a culture. In order to create a creative and innovative culture in an organization, all the elements need to embrace creativity and work accordingly. Creativity injected in these elements will eventually exude the creative culture of the organization. An artifact who would like to be a symbol of the organisation Organizational structure shows the relationship between members within the organization and the distribution of responsibilities and ultimately power. An organizational structure doesnt necessarily influence the organizational culture. An organization may have a strong, bureaucratic culture or a creative culture regardless of the hierarchical structure. In large organization such as Apple, a creative culture exists despite a hierarchical organizational structure. However, creativity needs to fulfil the goals and objectives of the organization and proper communication is necessary between the staff and the managers. So, a flat organizational structure would help in better communication and instant reaction to any changes even if the organization has a Top-Down hierarchy. Organizational Control helps to create an order to the activities carried out in an organization but it can affect the creativity of an organization as the essence of creativity is freedom and we know that organizational control is quite the opposite. The level of control needs to be determined in such a way that it wont hamper the creativity of the staff. In order to create a creative environment, the control needs to be decentralized. Even though managers are in charge, the employees need to have space to come up with ideas without being controlled. Page 345, teamwork and a concern with employee creativity. Language in the form of narrative and storytelling is essential in shaping a culture of an organization. Narration is bringing experience or sequence of episodes coherently into language. From stories we derive meaning, knowledge and experience, and as a result, we are able to understand our own and others existence. Narration helps improve communication between the manager and the employee resulting to better productivity. It even helps to improve quality of management and leadership and understand the direction the organization wants to take in the future. Stories can help people understand and get new ideas which will create a creative and innovative environment. People can relate to characters of the narration and learn from the events. For eg, learning about how Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers, works can inspire people to come up with new ideas and be more innovative. Organizational Change occurs when a new system is introduced and implemented. It is not easy to bring change to an organization. Changing any functioning of the organization will have to change the perception and attitude of the people as well. Such changes need to be handled delicately without upsetting any party. Cultural Change in organizations can be of three types: Apparent Change, Revolutionary Change and Cultural Change. Apparent Change adapts while preserving its identity whereas Revolutionary change is brought about by outsiders by destroying old ones and creating a completely new culture. However, if creative culture needs to be created, Cultural Incrementalism is a good choice. It incorporates the old culture from narratives along with new ideas to come up with a new culture. In our case, changing the way the people work by providing more freedom or brainstorming and discussion sessions incorporated in an existing culture results to cultural incrementalism and hence, a cre ative culture. There are various theories on how change can be managed. Lewins Model: Unfreezing, Change, Refreezing is one of the most popular theorys for managing change in an organization. However, we are focused on changing the culture into a creative culture. For this purpose, Big 3 Model of Change is appropriate rather than Lewins Model. Lewins Model is effective but it focuses more on the manufacturing and operational side of the organization and doesnt take into account the human perspective. It plans and directs change. However, creativity in an organization cant be planned or directed. Big 3 Model of Change focuses on change can be managed by responding, harnessing and provoking change. According to this model, there are three forces of change: Macroevolutionary (Environmental Level), Microevolutionary (Organisational Level) and Political (Individual Level). This model has been criticised to be too broad but due to its inclusion of behaviour of people at different level and responding acc ordingly, makes it a better option towards managing change than Lewins Model. While creating a creative and innovative culture, a manager should not stray away from the identity of the organization. A creative culture may not be suitable for all types of organization. The working environment needs to be understood before changing or creating a culture and the change needs to align with the identity of the organization. For eg, In a Cafe, creativity has very less to do. The employee has to perform task that is routine and there is no room for improvement in terms of creativity. The identity of the cafe is to provide good service to customers. Albert and Whetten beleive that organizational identity has central, distinctive and enduring features. However, Gioia, Schultz and Corley argue that the organizations identity is fluid and not stable. Balmer emphasises on using evolving rather than enduring because these school of thought believe that even the organizational identity doesnt always remain the same and keeps on evolving with time and environment. Culture an d Identity of an organization go hand in hand and Michael Wood has stated, Identity is not something genetic, safe and secure. It is shaped by history and culture: it is about group feeling; allegiance to the state, but in an open society that can be wide and inclusive. It is always in the making and never made. So, if the organization needs to create an innovative and creative culture, the identity can be moulded accordingly. Example: Creative Industry of Jewellery Design. I interviewed a friend, AKG, who assists her father in a family business in Kathmandu, Nepal. The organization is a family business which is basically a jewellery design outsourcing company for various jewellery shops in Kathmandu. The organization was started by her grandfather 34 years ago, to employ people with a passion for their art-jewel crafting while utilising their abilities to their benefits therefore benefitting the organisation. The people hired were people that were fired by her grandfathers friends because they didnt craft the jewellery according to the specified designs. This gave her grandfather the opportunity to bring the best out of his employees in terms of creativity who believed that happy people make better employees. The organization has AKGs father as in-charge and 14 artisans who were hired by her grandfather. These artisans are responsible for coming up with ideas or working on ideas provided to them by the clients. The designs or ideas from clients are translated to the artisans as some are stories and some are an old piece and brainstorming sessions are carried out to understand the story more deeply. Then this raw idea is given to all 14 artisans along with the old piece or the story. They translate it however they think is best. So, by the end of the time given, AKG and her father along with the 14 artisans come together, discuss and look through all the designs. Then, among the 16 people, voting is carried out and sometimes there is a clear winner. However, at times all the 14 translations are sent to the clients to pick the best which makes it much simpler and the winning craftsman receives 35% of the sales proceeds! All 14 artisans work in the workshops at their home. They work separately and each idea and design is unique. They joined this family business because they were able to express themselves and not work under any restrictions. Before, they had to design what was told by the client or the owner and their own idea would not be given value. But now, they can use their creativity and imagination and work on the designs providing a style of their own. However, despite giving these artisans freedom to come up with new ideas, the manager says it is important to keep sidelines. AKG says. When you have such a thing, you got to keep sidelines. They cant just go tinkering around with everything. We do encourage creativity but its got to be marketable and what we ask of them is to judge for themselves if they would be attracted by the design if they say it in a store. The above example is based on a family business which is different from regular corporations. This firm can be classified as a creative industry due to the nature of work. The organization has a flat structure with the manager looking after the 14 artisans and dealing with clients. Due to the group of artisans working for the company for more than 30 years, a culture has been set on how tasks are carried out. Artisans were hired due to their skills of creativity and with an agreement of freedom to go beyond boundaries and try out new things. Having said that, goals and objectives are predetermined and a basic criterion is set which will fulfil the basic demand of the client. Creativity is the organizational identity for this company and it is reflected in the organizational culture as well. The artisans are able to use their skills without compromising on their creativity. The opportunity to work at their own workshops gives them freedom. Hence, this is an organization based around c reativity of the skilful workers where they are given freedom to come up with new ideas that goes along the story provided by the clients. The added incentive makes the workplace more competitive which will motivate artisans to come up with their best work as per customers requirement. This organization depicts an existing creativity culture which was possible due to the identity that was set when the firm was established. The organizational culture of this firm can be seen as IS approach of the organizational culture as the culture was created and it centred on the creation of meaning. Here, the meaning was freedom to creativity for better satisfaction to the workers. This culture of creativity opposes the Classical approach and Webers Bureaucracy theories. Instead of specialising and setting formal rules and regulations, the artisans were given the freedom to work at their workshops and be creative. So, for a culture of creativity to exist, the organizational structure needs to be flexible and interactive and creativity needs to be an element of the organizational identity. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What youll discover will be wonderful. What youll discover is yourself.- Alan Alda.

22 Awesome Beaches in Cebu to Visit in a Lifetime

22 Awesome Beaches in Cebu to Visit in a Lifetime Foreign tourists and local travelers alike, visiting Cebu is always included in the bucket list being one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines. Whether in a month-long vacation or simply winding up for a day, Cebu beaches are something that one shouldnt miss. Below is a list of awesome beaches in Cebu you should visit in your lifetime. The list has no particular order. 1. Sta. Fe Beach in Bantayan Island Sta. Fe Beach Club, located in Bantayan Island, is a travelers paradise with perfect clear waters, friendly folks, amazing culture and excellent food. With its convenient location, a 10-minute travel from Bantayan Port, you can already enjoy interesting activities such as snorkeling, biking, island hopping, eating sea foods, etc. for a camping minimum fee of P100.00 only. It also offers top-class recreational facilities such as massage, non-motorized water sports, private beach, etc. Guests can enjoy on-site features like smoking area, restaurant, meeting facilities, BBQ facilities, bar, etc. Its comfortable and convenient accommodations are best for unwinding after a hard day. Mobile number: 09287787770 Telephone number: (032)4389090/ 4389107 Email: [emailprotected] 2. Tingko Beach in Alcoy Tingko Beach, located in Daan Lungsod, Alcoy, has extensive beach lined with coconut palm trees and limestone cliffs, and shallow waters with relaxing environment and fun activities. Its a 2 to 3-hour travel from Cebu City and is situated in a lagoon across Mabad-on Reef, a coral island that is completely submerged during high tide and exposed during low tide. It is great for families and groups with pets, and a nice stop for southern travelers. However, as it is a public beach, it can get crowded during weekends. Telephone number: (032) 483 9298 Mobile number: 09182874023 Email: [emailprotected] 3. Santiago White Beach in Camotes Island Santiago White Beach, a gorgeous public white sand beach, has the widest beach on Camotes Island and a shoreline that stretches as far as you can walk. Its wide white sand beach is being shared by Santiago Bay House Resort, Masamayor Beach Resort and Payag Beach Resort. Some of its facilities include Hut Cottages, motorized outrigger Bangka for half day use and Beach Games such as balls, floats, kayaks, etc. Some of its small restaurants also offer KARAOKE up to 2AM. It is being managed by the Camotes Local Government Unit (LGU). 4. Dalaguete Beach Park Dalaguete Beach Park, also known as Arguete Beach because its located within the boundary of Argao and Dalaguete, is best for skim boarding due to its strong and big waves. It is one of Cebus best public beaches for its clean and well maintained environment and facilities. There is, however, a minimal fee of P5.00 per person and P20.00 for parking. Cottages are also for rent for about P100.00 to P200.00, and shower fee of P20.00 per person. The fees are charged by local authorities to help maintain the area. 5. Hidden Beach in Aloguinsan Hidden Beach Resort, located in the municipality of Aloguinsan, Cebu, is one of the most natural beaches in Cebu province. Since its hidden, it is untouched by resort development projects. The road to the beach is covered with thickets of trees and coconut palms. The coral rocks are the indication that you are getting closer to the beach. Getting around, youll find lots of marine animals, a whitish sand, clean water and shoreline hemmed with coconut trees. A Peaceful and not crowded place perfect for relaxation. Its facilities include tables for P150.00, Hut Cottages for P250.00, grills for meat, fish, etc. Cooking Request is also available for a fee. If planning to stay overnight, simple rooms are available for P500.00 and making a reservation is highly advised. 6. Lambug Beach in Badian Lambug Beach, a public beach located in Badian, is one of the hidden beaches in Southern Cebu. Its a virgin beach with a long coastline of powdery white sand bordered with palm trees, clear waters, and hospitable locals. It has no entrance fee but camping is charged P50.00. As it is undiscovered, there are no big resorts around the area except for the Grandeur Beach Resort. Along its coastline, however, are many cottages and rooms for rent. Lambug Beach is a Badian pride that has astonishing sunrise and sunset; a perfect place to relax. 7. Basdako Beach in Moalboal Basdako Beach, one of the known beachfronts in Moalboal, is a pristine white sand beach and an awesome spot for snorkeling, scuba diving and delicious food. Best of all, the beach is free. Moalboal is rich with marine life which makes it best for diving. Basdako beachfront is preferred as it is budget-friendly with many small resorts to choose from within the beach. But, if you wish to camp on the beach, tents are available for P500.00 a night. During summer and long weekends, though, most resorts in Basdako get full; it is advised to get a room as early as possible. Telephone number: (032)417-2445. Cellphone number: 09209028888; 09176236057. Website: www.clubserenaresort.com. 8. Sayaw Beach in Barili Located along the highway of Barili, Cebu is Sayaw Beach Resort. It is a white sand beach resort where the popular Mantapuyan Falls is located. It has an entrance fee of P20.00 and cottage rentals ranging from P150.00 to P500.00. Its facilities and other services are not established and food resources are not very available. It is advised to bring your own supplies in coming here. 9. San Remigio Beach Club Sports and Leisure Resort Located in San Remigio, a three-hour travel from Cebu City, San Remegio Beach Club is Cebus longest beach line and one of the prettiest beaches. It is a good venue for reunions, birthdays, and weddings; offers packages for Group Tour, Day Tour, Side Trip and many more; and has a very spacious Sea Pool Party Area. It also has a coaster and van service for a convenient transportation for groups. A bus costs P120.00 per person. Telephone number: (032) 344-6181. Contact number: 63-32-2310382, 63-32-4352030, and 63-32-5160630 Website: www.sanremigiobeachclub.com.ph 10. Mactan Blue Reef Resort Mactan Blue Reef Resort, located in Tongo, Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City, is an affordable place for any gatherings in addition to a nice dip in the beach. It has an entrance fee of P50.00 and reasonable price for cottage rental. Bringing in food is also allowed. Telephone number: (032) 494-2644; (032) 494-2911. Contact number: 63-32-4923209 or 63-32-4923217 11. Eden’s Resort The lovely sea view from its spacious, big rooms creates a romantic ambiance that makes this place perfect for a couples retreat. Edens Resort is located in Liloan, Santander, an approximately three-hour drive from Cebu City. With only 10 rooms, it assures its guests of private leisure. Among the activities to do here are ocean kayaking, mountain biking, motor cycling, snorkeling, etc. It has a nice hassle-free package and room-only rates. It also has an all-inclusive rate if you wish to take a worry-free vacation. Telephone number: (032)480-9321 Contact number: 63-32-4809321 Website: www.eden.ph 12. Durhan White Beach Resort A little paradise in Tabunok, Tabuelan, about three hours travel time from the city. Durhan White Beach Resort boasts a fine white sand beach fit for groups and family gatherings. It has an entrance fee of P20.00 per person, rooms that could accommodate two to eight persons, big tents for 20 persons and small tent for 15 persons. Its cottages have gas stoves and a refrigerator available to cook your own food. Telephone number: (032)461-9318; 461-9073 Contact number: 63-32-4619318 or 63-32-4619073 Website: www.durhanwhitebeach.com 13. Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa A luxurious vacation for guests, an appealing garden view to nature lovers, and an ideal place for travelers, Shangri-Las Mactan Island Resort and Spa is considered a premier resort in Mactan Island. Located in Punta Engaà ±o, Lapu-Lapu City, it boasts of its large spa and various restaurants. Telephone number: (032) 231-0288 Contact number: +63-32-2310288 Website: www.shangri-la.com 14. Plantation Bay Resort and Spa A resort in an 11.4 hectare lot in Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa distinguishes itself in its saltwater lagoons and freshwater pools. It has colonial plantation architecture, and among its amenities are a wall-climbing facility, a fitness center and a spa at Mogambo Springs. Telephone number: (03)505-9800; Cellphone number: 09176313750; 09176313917 Contact number: +63-32-3405900 Website: www.plantationbay.com 15. Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort is a 158-room resort located in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City. Its been known for its bungalow type of accommodation and has become a favorite venue for weddings. Most wedding receptions here are held in its Alegrado Island, a 1.1 hectare man-made island. While the kids get an encounter with the mascot Dolpo, a dolphin. Telephone number: (032) 492-0100; (02) 817-5751 Contact numbers: 63-32-2345411 or 63-32-4920100 Website: www.bluewater.com.ph 16. Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa Located on ML Quezon National Highway, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa is the best place for water fun. Its themed pools such as Amazon River Pool (with inflatable tubes), Wave Rider, Beach Pool, Captain Hooks Pool, and the Toddler Pool are all one of a kind. Telephone number: (032)494-5000; 494-5282 to 85, 87, 88 Contact number: 63-32-2361367 Website: www.imperialpalace-cebu.com 17. Kalumpang Beach Resort A perfect escape destination of the South, Kalumpang Beach Resort is located in Highway, Looc, Poblacion, Argao. It is also a popular place for gathering and events. Besides that, it offers day tour packages upon request for group activities like swimming, snorkeling, diving, sunbathing, skim boarding, etc. The rate starts from P2, 500.00 depending on arrangements. For water and sea sports, you can rent a Kayak for P100.00. Jet ski, boats, etc. are also available. Telephone number: (032)367-7505 18. Cordova Reef Village Resort At the southeastern tip of Mactan Island, surrounded by Camotes Sea and Bohol Strait, is Cordova Reef Village in Poblacion, Cordova. It has well-equipped rooms and offers facilities such as tennis courts, steam room, spa, swimming pool and restaurant. A combination of luxury and natures tranquility, this resort provides its guests with absolute privacy and exclusivity. Telephone number: (032)238-1878 19. Malapascua Exotic Island Dive Resort Located in Sitio Pasil, Logon, Daanbantayan is Malapascua Exotic Island Dive and Beach Resort, the pioneer dive resort in Malapascua. It is also known for its thresher sharks that usually appear at sea before dawn. It has a natural garden frontage overlooking the white sand beach and Visayan sea. Diving here ranges from P1, 200.00 to P1, 500.00. Room rates are from P1, 000.00 to P4, 200.00. Telephone number: (032) 437-0983; 406-5428. Cellphone number: 09173276689; 09999976601. 20. El Salvador Beach Resort Located along the National Highway in Danao, El Salvador Beach Resort is the biggest and nicest resort in Danao. With 39 rooms set in tropical gardens, 2 swimming pools and a beach front, it has 24 hour standby generator and security. It also has air-conditioned function rooms that can accommodate 15 to 200 people. Entrance fee for adults is P150.00 during weekdays and P175.00 during weekends and holidays, P125.00 for children during weekdays and P150.00 during weekends and holidays while for kids below 3 years old, entrance fee is free. The cottages are available for rent at P495.00. Telephone number: (032)200-3622/ (032)254-7863. Website: www.elsalvadorresort.com Email: [emailprotected] 21. Sumilon Bluewater Resort In Sumilon Island, a tranquil 24 hectare sorrounded by white sand beaches with a lagoon, a hiking trail, lighthouse, historical watchtower, cave and other resort facilities overlooking Cebu, lies Sumilon Blue Water Island Resort, a sister resort of Maribago Bluewater Resort in Mactan Cebu. The island is the first marine protected area in the Philippines, beautifully secluded on the southeastern tip of the mainland. The resort is a three hour drive from the city to Bancogon pier in Oslob and another 15 to 30 minute boat ride, provided by the resort, to the island itself. A good spot for diving with varied marine species and occasional sightings of black tip sharks. Phone: (63 32) 318 3129 / 318 9098 Mobile: 0917 631 7512 / 0999 885 8337 Email: [emailprotected] Website: www.bluewater.com.ph 22. Badian Island Resort Located on the southwest coast of Cebu, an almost private tropical island with landscaped gardens and white sand beaches, The Badian Island Resort and Spa is an eco-friendly, romantic resort paradise overlooking the lagoons and mountains. It is a 2-hour and 20-minute drive from Cebu Internation Airport and a 15-minute boat ride with free parking for cars. Among the activities offered here are diving, wind surfing, paddle boats, tennis, billiards, darts, volleyball, spa treatments and many more. It has large and beautifully designed rooms with private balcony, cascading saltwater pool and organic grounds. Its suites feature a blend of traditional and modern Philippine decor. Tel: (+63-32) 401-3303 to 05 Fax: (+63-32) 401-3302 Email: [emailprotected] Website: www.badianhotel.com Sales Reservations: (+63-32) 401-3303 to 05 Cell Phones: (+63) 920-952-6293 (+63) 920-953-3362 (+63) 917-727-4931 Fax: +(+63-32) 401-3302 SMS: +63-917 727 4931 ***

Roman Empire Essay -- essays research papers

In the Early 19th Century Romanticism, man becoming one with him self and nature, was a reaction against the Enlightenment of the 18th century. With such people as William Wordsworth, William Blake and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe fueled romanticism with their writings and poems. William Wordsworth, for example, wrote many poems about nature and his beliefs on how life and nature are closely related to one another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Wordsworth’s Tables Turned stated, in other words, that the human can archive goodness by becoming one with nature. The poem heavily stated that the human should throw down the books, stop â€Å"wasting† your life on learning and becoming knowledgeable and book smart when all you have to do is go outside and enjoy nature. This would help you achieve all that is needed in life. Wordsworth thought that nature had a huge impact on the human’s imagination. He felt that nature was humanity’s teacher. That it brought out the human imagination because that all the living organisms inner meaning made man think and put meaning into forming there own ideas instead of accepting those of others. The way Wordsworth’s philosophy, as well as others of this time period, differs from that of the Enlightenment is that the philosophers of that time felt you should return to the classics. Meaning read the works of the Greeks and Romans become wel l rounded.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Blake, another poet whose beliefs of romanticism were expressed ...

The Other Boleyn Girl Essay -- Movie Compare Contrast

The Other Boleyn Girl The two adaptations after the controversial novel â€Å"The Other Boleyn Girl† by Philippa Gregory present a historical fictional story of the Boleyn sisters, Anne and Mary. This is a ravishing, emotionally intense story of love, loyalty and betrayal in the chase for power and social position, portraying the human desires and flaws in a beautifully described historical background at the English court. The private life of the historical figures from the XVIth century and the intrigues hidden behind the official documents is quite an ambiguous, curiously challenging segment of time, from the historical point of view. The book, and the two film adaptations after – â€Å"The Other Boleyn Girl† explore the uncertain times in the life of Henry the VIIIth, before deciding to divorce Katherine of Aragorn, remarry Anne Boleyn and start the Church of England. The first adaptation is a television film, released by BBC in 2003, directed by Philippa Lowthorpe. It is remarkable for its innovative style, close to experimental, very unusual for the historical fictional drama genre. The film was shot with a digital camera, but what is most striking is the modern use of camerawork – handhelds, the shaky movements at the beginning, the two sisters confessions looking straight into the camera, like in an interview – give a documentary style to the appearance of the movie. While most films of the same genre are trying to recreate the atmosphere of the time, by using the classical parameters, this film is trying to achieve exactly the opposite. This cinà ©ma và ©rità © style has the subtle purpose of bringing the viewer closer to the story and effectively involved throughout the narrative. In the same time the film focuses on the developmen... ...he purpose anyway. However, the BBC version gives a more realistic sense of the characters and relationships between them, mainly because is not aiming to overwhelm the viewer with the context, as the Hollywood version does, and the documentary-style and the actors give more credibility in recreating the historical figures. The Hollywood adaptation from 2008 offers a more complex view over the life in the political and historical context presented. â€Å"ridiculous, but imagined with humour and gusto: a very diverting gallop trough the heritage landscape† (Peter Bradshaw – â€Å"The Guardian†) Bibliography: www.imdb.com www.rottentomatoes.com www.telegraph.co.uk www.timeout.com www.entertainment.timesonline.co.uk www.guardian.co.uk www.movies.nytimes.com www.englishhistory.net www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/ www.bbc.co.uk/ www.reelviews.net/

Managing Multinational Strategic Alliances of Airlines

The study will be performed using qualitative and quantitative methods using structured interviews and survey instruments. Redshaw (2007) reiterates that not all questions are theory based. She further argues that quite concrete practical questions can be addressed without placing the study in one of the theoretical frameworks and the methods of qualitative enquiry stand on their own as reasonable ways of fining what is happening in human settings. Carnall (1990) has pointed out that quantitative analysis is more likely to be secondary and exploratory (or descriptive) in nature, summarising data in the form of charts, tables, percentages and averages. Diefenbach (2007) has suggested that when a survey is carried out, the data obtained would mostly be categorical, hence is likely to be ranked across a scale. This data might be represented in terms of frequency, central tendency or dispersion. It is highly unlikely the research might require the necessity of inferential data analysis. The survey instruments included multiple sets of Questionnaire and these can be regarded more as quantitative research. As suggested by Bordens (et all, 2005), a properly designed instrument allows for the research to be valid, reliable and accurate. According to Bordens, questionnaire is used in instances where a general interrelation between different variables is studied, ‘in situ’, meaning that there is no attempt to find out how changing one variable would effect the other. The questionnaires are of multiple-choice questions and scoring has been done as per the Liker 5 point scale. Please refer to Appendix. Table 1. Scoring System for Questionnaire 1  Ã‚   (Trochim, 2006). For the study, a number of primary and secondary sources have been used and these include published literature, websites, company financial reports, interviews with key people and others. Respondents for the survey would be identified as per their role and job functions. References Bordens, Kenneth S., & Abbott, B. (2005). Research design and methods: a process approach. (6th ed.). New York; McGraw-Hill Carnall, C A (1990) Managing Change in Organizations, Prentice Hall, London Diefenbach Thomas (2007), The managerialistic ideology of organisational change management, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 20 (1), pp: 126-137 Redshaw Sue, Mandable Terence E, (July 2007), Managing the people side of major change at WMATA, Journal of Strategic Communication Management, Volume 11, Issue 4, pp: 28-32 Trochim William M.K. (2006). Liker Scaling. Retrieved 17 January 2008 from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/scallik.php                           

Malls Are Actually a Haven for Crime

Imagine getting out of your car to go shopping at the mall. You do not plan on staying long; you just have some more Christmas shopping that you need to do. You have your budget, your list of items to buy, and you are in a hurry to get it all done by the time the mall closes. You are proud of yourself for how organized you are. It seems that you have everything planned according to what you need, however, that is not the case.   As you walk into the first store on your list, you reach for your wallet and realize that it is gone. You dig in your pockets, but find no trace. While you were in the mall, someone had stolen your wallet. One thing that you did not plan on was to be a victim of a mall crime. Although malls seem fun and relatively safe, the rate of crime that occurs at malls is growing higher and higher. From credit card theft to sex crimes, the mall is no longer a place that you can stroll through without any worries. The mall is now a haven for crime. In this argument, we will review the amount of crimes that occur in malls, the people who are targeted, and how the crimes may be prevented. Because the rate for crimes in malls seems to be increasing with each year, many people are afraid to go out shopping anymore. Although internet shopping is growing more and more popular, the cost of shipping alone is enough to make you brave your busy mall for those single items that you need. Though the crime rate is high at malls, customers must not forgo their mall experience simply out of fear. On the contrary, they must become more aware of themselves while at the mall and must simply be careful. The amount of crimes that occur in malls is astounding. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for example, there have been twenty-six assaults at the Monroeville mall within the last two years, eleven burglaries at the Station Square mall, nine robberies at the Monroeville mall, three-hundred-fifty-two thefts at the Monroeville mall, ten sex crimes at the Robinson mall, fifteen drug crimes at the Robinson mall and seven gun crimes at the Monroeville mall. These numbers are relatively low compared to statistics throughout the country (www.thepittsburghchannel.com). Mall security and store owners both know that the crime rate is higher when the mall has more visitors. Although large crowds often bring in large amounts of money, they also bring in a larger number of those who are up to no good. A large reason that the crime rate is so high in shopping malls is that, according to www.beverlypd.org, a website designed to prevent mall crime, sixty-five percent of malls are located in high crime areas. Twenty-five percent of malls are located in places that have almost three times more than the national crime risk. Though the statistics are unnerving, knowing who is targeted can help decrease risk of becoming a victim. When it comes to the question of who can be the victim of a mall crime, the answer would be anyone. There are, however, those who are more likely to be victimized. Consequently, according to the U.S. Department of Justice website about victim information (www.ojp.usdoj.gov), the highest rate of victimization is those who are between the ages of twelve and twenty-four. Although elderly theft seems like it would be the highest, possibly due to media influence, the amount of elderly who have been victims of theft has gone down considerably. Young people are seen as being less cautious as old people, thus they may be targeted more than anyone else. They are also less likely to report a crime than older people. Although the rate of mall crime is high with the specific age range, there are steps that anyone can practice the next time they visit the mall. Several tips for shoppers were provided by www.kevincoffee.com and www.signonsandiego.com: 1.Never put your purchases down inside of the mall. They can be snatched before you have time to react. 2.Try to put your purchases in one or two bags, so that you are not juggling them to the point that you are not paying attention to your purse or wallet. 3.Before leaving the mall, make sure that you have your keys out so that you do not have to fumble with them as you are walking to the car. 4. Avoid going to the mall at night. Daylight is your best option. However, if it is unavoidable, then before exiting the mall at night, park your car in a well lit area and when you are through shopping ask a security guard to escort you to your car. You do not know who could be lurking nearby. 5.Put your purchases in the trunk of your car. Nothing is more appealing to a thief than a pile of shopping bags that are visible in a car. While the mall has crime rates that perhaps few people know about, the key to being safe is to know the facts. Everyone deserves the basic right of shopping in the mall without having to worry about being the victim of a crime. It takes effort, however, to gain that right back.   If everyone would follow the basic steps above, a large percentage of the mall crime rate could be decreased. Although the percentages may seem like numbers, remember that every number is simply a representation of a person and that the next time, the person could be you. Read also: Snatch Theft Essay Works Cited Coffey, Kevin. â€Å"Avoiding Pickpockets.† Detective Kevin Coffey. 2006. 11 Dec. 2006 . David, Kristina. â€Å"To Make Your Spirits Bright, Avoid Theft.† Sign on Sandiego. 25 Nov. 2006. 11 Dec. 2006 â€Å"Office of Justice Programs.† Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2006. 11 Dec. 2006 â€Å"Local Mall Crime Rates Increase.† The Pittsburgh Channel. 17 Dec. 2006. 11 Dec. 2006 . â€Å"Shopping Mall Crime Prevention.† Beverly Pd. 2006. 11 Dec. 2006 .                           

ANZ Anz Culture Study: Management Principles

Question 1) Explain the term ‘corporate (or organizational) culture’, and discuss its importance to the operational success, or failure, or organisations. Corporate culture, also known as organisational culture is ‘the system of shared values and beliefs that develops within an organisation and guides the behaviour of its members’ (Schermerhorn,et al, pg 45, 2004). Robbins, et al, pg 70, 2003, explain that culture is a perception, and people perceive culture to be what they see hear or experience within the organisation. This is one reason that corporate culture is so important, as it just becomes part of daily routine or ‘the way we do things here’ (Schermerhorn,et al, pg 45, 2004). Therefore if these common practices are good practices there is a strong chance the organisation will be more successful. The culture of an organisation is very important and can for a large part determine the success of organisations. As culture is a perception, it is concerned with how its members perceive the organisation and not whether they like it, (Robbins, et al, pg 70, 2003). If its members like the culture, the organisation is more likely to succeed. Organisations that have a good culture often perform at high levels, which also corresponds with staff morale. Robbins et al, pg 73, 2003 refer to a case study involving Virgin Blue, who have a different recruiting policy and job roles than other airlines in Australia. Virgin Blue want their staff to show their outgoing personality and interact with their customers during flights. Virgin Blue staff say morale is high and management gets on well with the workforce. The perception of Virgin Blue is that it is a little different to the other airlines in Australia, and that it is a fun outgoing organisation to be a part of, which is a perception Virgi n Blue appears to promote and are proud of. Question 2) Examine and summerize the cultural shifts that occurred on the ANZ over this period and the benefits they brought to various stakeholders. The ANZ like most banks in the late 1990’s had a poor public image. Banks were criticised for bank fees, branch closures and scandals, as a result morale for bank employees was also poor. ANZ conducted a staff survey, which confirmed morale was low and staff satisfaction was below 50%. The survey results were quite clear that staff did not feel valued in their workplace, and employees were asked to nominate words they felt best describes the ANZ bank. Words rating at the top of the list were cost reduction, profit and shareholder value. The ANZ initiated a program, ‘the breakout program’ which was designed to shift the culture, as the bank wanted to create a new public image or perception that distinguished them from other banks. Executives of the ANZ realized a shift if employees mind set was needed to regain the trust of their staff and assist with this intended culture change. This was done with various workshops and subsidising computers for its staff, which in particular was very well received by its staff. As well as increasing staff morale by subsidising computers, staff were given the opportunity to use skills they had acquired by assisting and educating customers with money matters. This was something staff were very passionate about, and by giving them the opportunity to complete such duties may have been a factor to increased morale. ANZ claim a complete transformation in organisational culture, believing their culture has changed for ever. Judging by further surveys conducted since the change in culture, staff morale is high, and this also coincides with customer satisfaction. Question 3) Evaluate the leadership style/s that would have been used by McFarlane and other senior executives in ANZ to implement this cultural shift in the ANZ and describe other leadership styles that may not have been beneficial in doing so. It is quite likely that more than one leadership style or a combination of styles was used by ANZ to initiate its change in organisational culture. One particular style that may have been used is the path-goal theory. ‘A leadership theory that says it is the leaders job to assist their followers in attaining their goals and to provide the direction or support needed to ensure that their goals are compatible with the overall objectives of the groups or organisation’ (Robbins, et al, pg 577, 2006). At the ANZ bank staff morale was low and its public image poor, and to change that McFarlane used the path-goal leadership style to attempt to increase morale, which would also lead to enhancing its public image. The path-goal theory discusses input from staff, this was done by taking information from the staff survey, and gaining an understanding of what is important to staff. Change was then implemented so staff could start working in an environment which they feel much more comfortable, more likely to succeed and have higher job and customer satisfaction. The staff were given direction (path) and could see the rewards or goals, the leader helps facilitate this transition. Mcfarlane changed his leadership style, to give staff more involvement by conducting staff surveys, then implementing change due to results of the survey, this is further evidence to using path-goal theory. As the path goal leadership style assumes that leaders are flexible and can change their behaviours (Robbins, et al, pg 587, 2006). This is contrast to another leadership style, Fielders contingency model, which suggests that leaders could not change their behavior. If using this theory it would been very difficult for ANZ to change its culture as the leader would be unwilling to change their own behaviour in order to facilitate the required changes to result in the change in culture. Question 4) Discuss the challenges faced by McFarlane and his executive team in introducing change across ANZ. For change to occur, someone must take responsibility for managing the change process, the person who does this, who is also usually a manager, is known as a change agent (Robbins and Coulter, pg 360, 2007). At ANZ their CEO McFarlane is the change agent, and he may have encountered significant resistance change. There are numerous reasons why people within organisations resist change. Kreitner & Kiniki pg 546 – 547, 2008 explain that individual and group behaviour following organizational change can take many forms, from extreme ranges of acceptance to active resistance. This resistance to change is an emotional /behavioural response to real or imagined threats to an established work routine. One particular reason discussed by Kreitner & Kiniki, 2008 is an individuals predisposition to change, which is highly personal and deeply ingrained. With so many employees at the ANZ there is a strong chance that there would have been quite a lot of people who just resist change for personal reasons. Another reason for resistance to change is due to a climate of mistrust (Kreitner & Kiniki pg 547, 2008). This may have been the biggest resistance to change within the ANZ. Prior to the change employee morale was low, employees perceptions of ANZ were that they did not care about their staff and were more concerned with profits, cost reduction etc. ANZ were aware of their employees feelings, the lack of trust and realized the importance of having employees trust. Therefore when ANZ were initiating change staff may have found it difficult to adjust and believe that the change was going to be a change for the good. Question 5) Discuss whether or not the executive management instigated changes to the culture of the ANZ are ethical. Ethical behaviour is described as ‘behaviour that conforms to generally accepted social norms’ (Davidson & Griffen, pg 106, 2003). The workplace info case study mentions that most banks in the late 1990’s had a poor public image due to bank fees, branch closures etc. Although it is common practice amongst banks to operate under the conditions, .it is not considered acceptable behavior by the wider community, namely its customers. The ANZ bank wanted to be different to the other banks, it wanted its culture to be a point of difference from the others. It could be said that the ANZ felt it had a responsibility to change peoples perceptions of itself and banks in general. Davidson & Griffen, pg 117, 2003 explain that ‘ethics relate to individuals. Organisations themselves do not have ethics, but organisations do relate to their environment in ways that often involve ethical dilemmas and decisions. Social responsibility is the set of obligations an organisation has to protect and enhance the society in which it functions’. The society for the ANZ bank is the banking community, general community (customers) and its staff. The ANZ bank felt it had responsibilities to their customers, by providing a higher level of customer service in order to enhance its public image, but it had a responsibility to its staff, as they are the people who are to implement the changes. The ANZ may have avoided an ethical issue when it decided that its staff could choose where it could spend time volunteering. ANZ originally controlled where staff would go to volunteer, but this was quickly changed, possibly as a result to ethical dilemmas that may have arose. While there may have been some resistance by staff to change, it did occur and its staff and customer satisfaction have increased, without any major ethical dilemmas arising. Question 6) Determine the organisational structure that would best facilitate the implementation of these new practices. Organisational structure is the formal arrangement of jobs within an organisation. When managers develop change or structure, they’re engaged in organisational design, which involves 6 key elements (Robbins and Coulter, pg 266, 2007). Therefore to develop an organisational structure the manager must consider the elements of organisational design. One of these elements that would have been used by ANZ would have been span of control, which would then also lead to either having a tall or flat organisation structure. Span of control is determining how many people will report to each supervisor or manager (Davidson & Griffen, pg 357, 2003). The decision about span of control determines the overall structure of the organistaion, which will be either a flat or tall organization (Davidson & Griffen, pg 358, 2003). The ANZ may have shifted from a tall organizational structure to a flat structure. Davidson & Griffen, pg 106, 2003 explain that many experts agree that business run more effectively with fewer layers of organisations, which depicts a flat organisational structure. Flat organisations often lead to increased staff morale, productivity as well as increased managerial responsibility (Davidson & Griffen, pg 358, 2003). ANZ structure may look like a tall organization due to the large number of employees, braches and therefore managers for each branch, however a change occurred which would have resulted in less layers, which increased communication from employees to management which assisted in the culture change at ANZ. Question 7) Explain the importance of informal groups in achieving the managerial objective of cultural change. Groups are defined as ‘two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve specific goals’ (Robbins and Coulter, pg 424, 2007). For example, an ANZ branch might have a customer service team, who get together regularly to discuss new ways to increase customer satisfaction. The members in this group are from same ‘team’, and perhaps if not for working within close proximity of each other would not socialise, they are organised formal groups. Contrast to this is informal groups, which Davidson and Griffen, pg 645, 2003, descibe as ‘A group created by its members for purposes that may or may not be relevant to the organisation’s goals’. Informal groups may form while standing around in the morning making coffee, some informal groups are formed by an interpersonal attraction (Davidson and Griffen, pg 646, 2003). Whatever the reason informal groups are formed, they will be important in assisting in the shift for cultural change. When informal groups are formed, they are likely to become cohesive groups, Davidson and Griffen, pg 653, 2003, explain cohesiveness as ‘the extent to which members are loyal and committed to a group; the degree of mutual attractiveness in the group’. Therefore if informal groups within an organisation are open to change it is more likely that the organisation will be able to achieve its objectives, and it this case that is assist with a cultural change. The ANZ bank appears to have undergone a successful cultural transformation, with a focus of staff morale, which increased customer satisfaction. This change has been so well received by staff it now embedded in its staff, and will become the norm for all future staff, regardless of their personality or who is managing them.